Under the Influence
by bibi 13ca
Summary: Basically I just wanted to write drunk Alicia. So Alicia is going to be having a drunk encounter with three different people and reveal a few things...


**N: **Hello everyone, I hope you had a great Christmas. I will also like to take a moment and wish you all an amazing new year that will bring you everything you wish for!

Thank you so much to everyone who is still here reading my stories. I truly appreciate your words ery much.

Enough babbling, enjoy the story!

**Under The Influence**

From her dark corner in the back of the crowded bar, Kalinda could see almost everyone in it. Yet barely anyone would be able to see her. Which worked perfectly for Kalinda. Kalinda Sharma liked to be the one observing not being observed. She took a sip from her beer and looked at her watch. It was passed 10PM. She let out a sigh. It looked like it was going to be another long night. She had planned on going home early and make dinner for herself. She hasn't cooked in months and she missed it. Cooking reminded her of her beloved mother. Her mother had liked to cook as well. The woman could spend hours in the kitchen without a break. It had been the one thing her and her mom had in common. Other than the shape of her eyes and nose.

Alas, she couldn't leave. She had a mission. A mission that was important to her.

Her eyes drifted from her beer bottle to the bar. Tonight she wasn't here for a case, she wasn't here at the request of her boss – even though he did ask – tonight it was a personal matter. Tonight, her target was none other than the first lady of Illinois and former best friend, Alicia Florrick. Saint Alicia was drunk and Kalinda couldn't find it in herself to leave her in that state all alone in a bar. She tucked her hair behind her ear and watched as Alicia swallowed her seventh shot. She tried to stuff a piece of lime in her mouth but dropped it half way there. The small piece of fruit fell on the counter, hit the stem of Alicia's martini glass and slid onto the floor. Kalinda and several men around Alicia watched as the woman bend over her stool. Her skirt lifted enough to reveal her lacy stockings. The men ogled her legs unabashed. Kalinda growled and rolled her eyes. Men were pigs. Which was why most of the time Kalinda Sharma preferred the company of women.

Once Alicia recovered the lost piece of lime, she stood up. She blew the hair out of her face and smiled to herself. Kalinda mimicked the gesture unconsciously. The next few minutes passed uneventfully. Kalinda finished her beer and Alicia finished her martini. When the former stood up from her little stool and nearly fell over, Kalinda decided that it was time to put an end to her quiet time in the shadows. She placed a twenty dollars bill on the table and stood up, making her way towards the bar. She got to her destination right on time. The man next to Alicia – the one who had been staring at her legs all night – was holding Alicia upright by her ass. He was no looker either or Kalinda might've let the Governor's wife have some fun. Mid to late-thirties, short, bald and wearing glasses so thick they made his eyes look three times their size. In one smooth move, she got close to them and grabbed the man's hand. She twisted only so slightly. She wanted to give the guy a chance to back off before permanently damaging his hand. "Get your hands off her." Kalinda said through her teeth.

The guy looked at her confused. "Mind your own business lady," he mumbled. Kalinda smirked. She did like it when they were playing though. Sure, guys were though…at least until one had to go toe-to-toe with the Russian mob. After that everyone just started to look like girl-scouts. She applied more pressure using her thumb and two fingers. The guy grimaced in pain. "Are you crazy?" he yelled at her.

"If you don't let go of my friend right now, I will break your arm. And judging by the fact that you have to force yourself on drunk women, I'd say you need it."

"Ok, ok," the guy said and moved away, mumbling under his breath.

At that moment, Alicia turned around. "Kalinda," she yelled in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I am your sober companion tonight," Kalinda answered. She grabbed Alicia by her arm, but the older woman immediately pulled her arm away. In the process she lost her balanced once more and had to hold Kalinda's hand to stop her fall.

"I don't need…" Alicia let go of Kalinda's hand as soon she became steady enough. "I don't need sober. I need to pee," Alicia mumbled. "Oh no, better…let's do…do shots!" She turned to walk back towards the bar, but Kalinda stopped her by taking a hold of her arm once more. "Come on! We can shot for every time you slept with my…my husband," she said over her shoulder.

"Oh for God's sake. It was only once as I told you before. And speaking of your husband, let's get you home yeah?" Alicia pouted. Kalinda took in a deep breath, praying for patience. This was the reason she didn't like children. Children were just like drunk people. They made no sense, they were stubborn and had troubles staying upright. Not to mention that they were also messy and had a tendency to break things. Overall, not what she would call great company.

"I don't want to go home," Alicia said sounding just like a spoiled toddler. "I am avoiding Peter," she went on in a loud whisper. She pressed her index finger against her lips. "Shh, don't tell," she urged, her eyes open wide.

Kalinda frowned. "Why are you avoiding Peter?" she asked.

Alicia shrugged at the question and proceeded to scratch her nose in an exaggerated manner that made the young woman smile.

The truth was that Kalinda felt bad for her former best friend. She got to know Alicia pretty well over the years. Kalinda was excellent at reading people and Alicia Florrick had been no exception. Yes Mrs. Florrick put on a façade, but she had been able to see past it. The woman was a bit of a control freak. She liked structure and well established rules. She thrived on order and structure and discipline. The poster child for rule-abiding. Pretty much the opposite of Kalinda, who hated routines and rules and labels. Of course Kalinda wasn't a great example of a well-adjusted happy human being. But neither was Alicia. The answer – Kalinda thought – must lay somewhere in the middle. Maybe if they would've been able to work together, they could've found a middle ground. If only they would've taken the time to understand one another. But Kalinda had never really understood why Alicia had chosen to stick by her cheating husband. She might've been happy with the guy at some point, Kalinda wouldn't know, but she certainly wasn't now.

"How about I take you to your apartment then?" Kalinda asked.

Alicia smiled. "Yes. I don't have any tequila, but I have wine there," she said and Kalinda rolled her eyes.

"Great," whatever got Alicia moving worked with her. Once they were inside the apartment, Kalinda was going to find a way to keep alcohol away from her friend.

They walked in silence to the car. "Uh, big car," Alicia said once Kalinda unlocked the doors. She only nodded and helped her friend into the passenger seat. "And leather chairs," Alicia went on feeling the seats with her palms. "Expensive… they must pay you very well. We can't afford you."

"Yes they do. Now let me put your seat-belt on," Kalinda said.

Alicia kept pushing Kalinda's hand away each time the former was trying to attach the seat-belt. "I don't like it," Alicia said in a winy voice. By the time the belt had been secured around Alicia, Kalinda was sweating and in need of a strong dose of alcohol herself.

A little over fifteen minutes later Kalinda was leaning against the wall watching Alicia struggle to get the key into the lock. She could've just taken the keys from her and unlock the door herself in seconds, but why? Why not take a moment and admire perfect Alicia in such an imperfect moment. Maybe it was petty, maybe in wasn't kind, but Kalinda didn't care. She was the first to admit that sometimes she could punch her former beastie right in the nose. All the self-sacrificing and all the suffering and the whole martyr act drove Kalinda crazy.

"And we're in!" Alicia suddenly yelled.

"I would suggest you lower your voice before you wake up your neighbors," she said fallowing the older woman inside.

After quiet the struggle, Kalinda managed to get Alicia into bed. She had to admit, she never had to work so hard to get a woman into bed before. She should've known that the First Lady of Illinois would be a challenge. Before Kalinda could move away from the bed, Alicia grabbed her hand.

"Please don't tell Peter," she whispered. "I don't know if you guys are still in touch. After all, you go waaay back," she went on. Kalinda scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Did you think he was good?" Alicia asked. She frowned. Was her friend asking her if she thought her husband was good in bed? For the record, she found him adequate. She had had worse, she had had better. "Coz," Alicia let out a sigh. "I thought he was really good… at least until I slept with Will," she said. The young woman opened her eyes wide. She should not be hearing this, yet she couldn't help but get closer to the bed in order to hear better. However, Alicia let out another deep sigh and remained silent. Kalinda stayed another hour to make sure Alicia was asleep before leaving the apartment.

***Under the Influence***

It took Owen a few good minute before spotting his sister at the bar. And even after he took a closer look, he still had troubles believing that was his sister. Alicia was doing shots from a guy's extremely well shaped stomach.

"Hey sis, having a good time?" he asked as he reached the place Alicia was at.

Alicia turned around and lost her balance for a second before grabbing a stool to steady herself. "Owen, hi. What are you doing here? This is Antonio," she said pointing at the guy laying on the bar. "He likes shots and going to the gym," she went on. Owen looked in the direction his sister was pointing in. The very attractive Antonio smiled and gave Owen a little wave. Owen blushed. He shook his head and turned his attention back to his inebriated sister. He took another step forward and leaned in a little. "How about we go to your place and you can tell me all about what brought about all the drinking uh?" he asked in a whisper close to her ear. Alicia's eyes were watery as she looked at him. He took out two twenty dollar bills from his wallet in a rush. "Will this cover your drinks?" he asked and she nodded. "Ok, let's go," Owen put the money on the bar next to Antonio. He took another look at the half naked man and proceeded to walk his sister out of the bar.

Once they got to Alicia's apartment, Owen made them tea. He found tea comforting and he thought Alicia could use a little comfort. They took a seat on the living room couch as he placed two steaming mugs on the coffee table. They stayed in silence for a few minutes.

"I miss him so much," Alicia finally said in a shaky whisper.

"Will?" Owen asked even though he was almost sure he knew the answer.

Alicia nodded. Her bottom lip started trembling slightly. "I… I miss him all the time. So much. And I don't know what to do."

"Oh sis. You should just tell him."

She laughed sadly. "He hates me," she said and a teardrop slipped from her eye. It went fast down her cheek and stopped abruptly on her chin.

Owen tilted his head at the statement. "He doesn't hate you."

"But he does," she stopped and let out a little hiccup. "He called me dre*hiccup*adful. You should've seen *hiccup*the look on his face. And in *hiccup* court yester*hiccup*day… he was…oh he hates me," she wiped her nose with her sleeve, reminding Owen of the time they were both toddlers. Other tears have joined the first and were sliding unabashed down her rosy cheeks. Owen didn't think he'd ever seen his sister so disheveled. She seemed truly miserable. He felt both bad for her and irritated with her. After all, she was leaving in a hell of her own making. This had been in part the reason Owen had kept his distance when the scandal with Peter broke. Yes, he felt bad for Alicia. Hell, he felt bad for them as a family too, especially the kids. But Owen also felt frustrated with his sister for staying with him. Alicia had made a choice. A choice that ultimately brought her more pain and disappointment. A choice that brought her to this moment.

"Trust me he doesn't hate you," he insisted.

"I can't blame him tho_"

"Alicia, he was the one that called me to come get you at the bar. He was concerned for you," he said. His sister's eyes opened wide. "I don't understand you sis. Why are you doing this to yourself? You're clearly not happy."

"I don't want to tear my family apart."

Owen let out a sigh. "Alicia, you will always be a family no matter what. Peter will always be the father of your children. You needn't be married for that to be true. You've raised some pretty smart and amazing kids. They may not throw a party if you divorced their dad, but they will understand. You've tried more than once. It's not your fault he broke his vows to you and pushed you into another man's arms. And it's definitely not your fault you fell in love with that man. We don't choose who we fall in love with."

"I…" Alicia pouted. "I am trying to do the right thing."

"The right thing by whom?" Owen asked.

She shrugged but remained silent. They stayed in silence for another few minutes. In a sudden movement that took Owen by surprise, Alicia moved closer to him on the couch and grabbed his arm. She looked at him with wide open eyes. "Did Will really call you to tell you he was worried about me?" she asked.

There was such a hopeful plea in her voice, it made Owen's stomach clench. As if she was wishing it were true with everything she had. He grabbed one of the decorative pillows and placed it on his lap, urging Alicia to lay her head on it. She didn't protest. She just let him guide her.

"Yes he did," Owen said and started petting her hair slowly. "He said he would've called Peter but he didn't want to cause a scene in case someone recognized him."

"Owen?"

"Uh?"

"Would you hum to me and make me think everything's going to be alright?"

***A Month Later***

Will Gardner took another sip of his beer and let out a sigh. He was watching Alicia Florrick eating fries and getting drunk by herself. His first instinct was to call someone – just like last time he had spotted her in this state. The problem was he had no one to call. Kalinda (his first choice, seeing that he trusted the woman with his life) was with the police. She was investigating on an important case for Diane. Alicia's brother, Owen was on a trip to Oregon to visit some old friends. He knew this because before he left, he texted Will, asking him to keep an eye on his sister. Peter was at a press conference in New York and took the kids with him to make a weekend out of it. This he knew because the press had been all over it.

"Damnit, Damnit, Damnit!" he cursed under his breath. She wasn't his responsibility. Far from it. Yet he found himself once again unable to just walk away. After paying for his drink, he stood up and put his coat on. He mumbled a few more curses to himself and made his way towards Alicia's table.

Lately they haven't been throwing insults at each other. They made a shaky pace. But they were far from being close buddies again. Alicia had admitted he was the better lawyer. Will thought she was wrong. Alicia was definitely the better lawyer between the two of them. It was as if the woman had had the law in her veins since birth. However, Will had more experience and more…guts. But he had appreciated her words nonetheless, even if he didn't see it as such.

Will was moving fast on a lot of fronts. His law firm was doing great. He and Diane were on the same page and they were hiring new people. From a career point of view, his life had never been better or more promising. Personally however, Will yearned for something more. Someone to go home to at the end of the day. Hell, someone he will want to leave the office early for. If he died tomorrow, he would leave nothing behind. The firm he invested years in would eventually drop his name. David Lee would probably take his office. And in a matter of months people would forget all about William Paul Gardner, the brave, cut-throat lawyer. He glared at the woman he was slowly approaching. A twitch in his chest reminded him that Alicia Florrick still affected him. Damn her for making him want something more. And damn her for being the only one he wanted it with. It wasn't fair. Before their affair – or whatever it had been to her – Will was perfectly content with his life the way it had been up until then. Long ago he had made a decision. He had decided to say no to the 'family life' and make his career his one and only priority. Then she'd come back into his life. The girl that got away. And she made him question everything. She made him risk everything. In her Will had found something he cared about more than his precious law firm. Alicia Florrick had become his weakness.

By the time Will reached Alicia's table, he was mad at her again. Did he hate her? There had been a few days after he found out about her betrayal when he truly thought he did. The reality though was different and a lot sadder. The truth was that Alicia had broken his heart, his hope, his spirit. He hurt. He hurt in ways Will didn't think people could hurt and still keep standing. But he never did and he knew he never will be able to, hate her.

"You really should know better than to get drunk in public Mrs. Florrick," he said and took a seat on the empty chair opposite of her at the table. "Especially now in days when people carry around in their pockets a rather high quality camera." Alicia looked up. Her eyes were wide and a little out of focus. Damn, he hasn't seen her this drunk since college.

She shrugged. "Today I don't care," she said and turned her attention back to her fries. "I am not sure if you're real or not. If you are, you can go. I will be fine. Just finishing my food and I will leave," she said before dipping a fry in ketchup. Will frowned.

"I am real. So, what's so special about today?" he asked. To his surprise, he realized he really wanted to know.

"You are?"

"I am what?" he asked confused.

"Real?" she explained.

"Yes Alicia. I am real. Why wouldn't I be?" She threw the last fry at him. The piece of food bounced off him and onto the table missing the empty plate by a small inch.

"So you are real," she said. Apparently the bouncing fly had proven his existence. "As I said, you can go. I was just leaving anyway. Already paid and all."

"Good, then I can take you home," he offered and stood up. Alicia did the same, mumbling that she didn't need an escort as she lost her balance and fell back on the chair. Will helped her up. He grabbed her coat and bag. "Come on. You're on my way anyway."

"No, I am not. You forgot that I know where you live."

He rolled his eyes. Normal people didn't remember things like this when drunk. Of course Alicia would be an exception. He should've known. After all, normal people didn't turn out to be exceptional lawyers after being out of practice for over thirteen years either. The woman did things her way that was for sure. She surprised him. Which was one of the many reasons Will fell for her in the first place.

Finally after a few back and forwards, she allowed him to walk her to his car in order to take her home. They both stayed quiet the whole ride there.

"You still didn't tell me what's today and what it has to do with you drinking alone in a bar," he said doing his best to sound casual. Alicia stopped looking for the keys in the bag and looked at him.

"I…uhh… well, if you must know, two years ago today I came into your office and told you I couldn't be with you anymore."

Will was speechless. He could've counted – just from the top of his head – about twenty different possibilities for Alicia to have a bad day today. None of those came even remotely close to what she had just confessed to. Could it be that she… Will stopped himself. No. He had done this before. He had hoped that his feelings were not unrequited. Hoped that she felt something more for him too. That what they had had, hadn't been just an affair for her either. Like a fool, he had hoped. No more, he wouldn't do it again. He wouldn't put himself through that kind of pain again.

Calmly, he took a deep breath to compose himself. There must be another explanation. Something else that happened that day. Of course. It had also been the day – well actually the day after – her daughter had gotten lost.

"Yes, you thought you lost Grace, but it turned out she was fine all along and nothing like that ever happened again," he said. In the time it took Will to compose himself, Alicia found her keys and had already unlocked the door. She walked in and left the door opened for him. He followed her inside hesitantly and closed the door behind himself.

"What?" she asked as she dropped her keys on the small table in the hall. She also took off her heels "Stupid shoes," she mumbled and threw them on the floor near the door.

"The day you are talking about, well, I mean the day before, you lost your daughter for a few hours. It must've been scary but_"

"I wasn't referring to that," she interrupted talking over her shoulder and making her way towards her bedroom. "Do you mind?" she said and turned her back to him.

Will held his breath. Time stood still for a minute. Was she really asking him to undress her? "Uh, sure," he mumbled. Damnit what was it about this woman that made him lose his mind? He was acting like an idiotic teenager. And William Paul Gardner had never been an idiotic teenager. He had been a charming smooth-talker for as long as he could remember. Except with her. Yes, eventually he would get a handle on the situation. But she was still the only woman who could throw him off his game.

"It was the day I gave you up," she murmured softly just as Will got a grip on the zipper and started pulling it down. He stopped half way. He pulled his hand away. She turned around. "I thought I had to," she continued in a low whisper. Her voice was slightly raspy, just as he remembered. She smelled the same too. She smelled of jasmine and honey. To Will, she smelled like summer nights on the football field. She smelled like home. "I had to make that decision to let you go every single day. And it was painful Will. It still is…" she took in a breath and let it out slowly. They were so close, Will could smell the alcohol in her breath. "I miss you so damn much, sometimes it suffocates me. It hurts, in my chest and I can't breathe."

"You're saying that because you're drunk."

"Maybe. But that doesn't make it any less true."

Silence.

He licked his lips.

She bit her bottom lip.

"Alicia," he whispered. He meant to say more, maybe even leave. He didn't belong there. She was a married woman who had left him, betrayed him and broke his heart. But then she looked up at him with those intense hazel eyes of hers. Her bottom lip trembling softly. Will knew himself enough to know he was screwed. He didn't stand a chance. When it came to her, he never really did.

"I miss your scent," she said and a tear left her eye to travel down her cheek. "I miss your voice. I miss your touch," he cupped her face and wiped away her tear. She shivered slightly at the contact and leaned into his touch. "Every time I think of you…I…there's this empty ball in the pit of my stomach," she went on. She closed her eyes. "I get goosebumps just at the memory of your hands on my body."

Once again her body shivered against his and Will let out a low growl. Alicia licked her lips and just like that Will found himself unable to resist. As if they were opposite magnetic polls, he was drown to her. He leaned forwards a few more inches and their lips touched. Alicia let out a soft gasp at the contact. He licked her bottom lip before closing his mouth over hers to kiss her properly. She tasted like tequila and lime. Just the way she tasted over twenty-two years ago when he had kissed her for the first time. Her body felt warm and soft in his arms, pushing greedily against his own. Her own arms looped around his neck, pulling him closer. It all felt so familiar, so natural. Being close to her, holding her, kissing her… it was like coming home. When they finally pulled apart, they were both gasping for air. Will looked down at her. What he saw in her eyes brought a lump to his throat. He saw lust, contentment and…adoration. In that moment Will knew. He had known for years, but hoped he might be wrong. No doubt in his mind, not anymore. Alicia was it for him. She always had been. And he would do anything, be anyone, just to be with her.

Alicia's eyes were perfectly focused on him. Hesitantly, she raised her hands and let her fingers ghost over his features. He was just standing there, watching her.

***Under the Influence***

"Will," she whispered. She let her thumb press slightly against his bottom lip. His mouth fell open. "Please…I…I need you," her voice was barely more than a soft little whisper, but she knew he had heard her because he gave a short nod. He understood because Will Gardner had always been able to understand her no matter what.

His hand snaked around her waist and up her back. Once again he took a hold of the zipper of her dress, this time pulling it all the way down. The material glided with ease over her shoulders, over her breasts and stomach and stopped at her hips. Will hankered down. With the slightest pressure, the dress fell at her feet. Alicia tried to move, but Will stopped her. His mouth started a wet trail from her knee, up her thigh, her hips, her stomach… then he stood up. Before she could figure out what was going on, her bra followed her dress on the floor. When his tongue flickered over one of her rosy nipples, Alicia let her head fall back and murmured his name to the ceiling. Will's hand cupped her other breast and started massaging it slowly. Every now and again his thump passed over her hardening nubbin. His ability to multitask had always impressed her. Only after thoroughly licking, sucking and biting both her breasts Will finally resumed his path up her body. When he reached that particularly sensitive spot on her shoulder and sank his teeth into it, Alicia lost her balance. If it weren't for his strong arms wrapped tightly around her, she would've collapsed to the floor.

Up her throat, on her chin…and just as he was getting to her lips, he stopped. Alicia opened her eyes. "Will?" she murmured in a breathy voice. He frowned and cupped her face. Her teeth captured her bottom lip. He approached her mouth slowly. Her eyelids closed and her lips parted in anticipation. As Will's lips touched hers, Alicia let out a guttural, little moan. Will briefly thought he could literally spend hours just kissing her. He took his time, kissing her slow and exploring her mouth. There was something different. Different from all the other times they had kissed. His teeth sank into her bottom lip and he felt her nails dig into his shoulders. It was as if all sensations had somehow intensified.

Alicia's hands slid down his back and moved to the front. One after another she opened all the small buttons of his shirt before pushing it over his shoulder. She pulled away from his addictive mouth only as long as it took her to take off his immaculate white t-shirt. Once the task had been completed, she reached up and pulled his head down. She wanted his mouth back on hers ASAP. Her palms started to explore his chest and back. They felt soft and delicate against his skin.

Will buried his fingers in her hair and pulled slightly to change the angle and deepen their kiss. Alicia let out a long moan. "More…I need more," she mumbled against his mouth. As she reached for his belt, Will reached between her legs to make sure she was ready for him. She was more than ready. Wet and hot, he growled his approval and started walking slowly towards the bed. Just as he reached the destination, she had managed to open his pants and proceeded to push them over his hips. He placed her by the edge of the mattress.

"Are you still on the pill?" he asked. He pulled away slightly to look at her. The wild hair, the dilated pupils, the sore, wet lips…she looked magnificent. Alicia shook her head softly. "I have a condom, just give me a second. He picked up his pants from the floor and shoved his hand in one of the packets to take out his wallet. Three seconds later he was holding a condom. He put it on in record time before reaching for her. "Christ you're tight," he moaned.

"No…just…ahh yes…" she breathe. "You're just biiiggg," she finished with another moan.

It didn't take them long to reach mutual satisfaction. Once Alicia came, her inner muscles squeezing him, Will followed.

They took a quick shower together before bed. Once under the covers, Alicia turned towards Will. "Will I…I lo_"

"Don't," he interrupted. "Not now. Not like this," he went on. She just gave a firm nod.

***Under the Influence***

Slowly waking up, Alicia only opened one eye. She was checking on the state of her hangover. It wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be. The old trick she learned in college still worked. Greasy food helped with alcohol and lowered the effects of the unavoidable hangover. She opened the other eye and noticed she was alone in bed.

Panicked, she stood up in bed, looking around for her phone. She had to call Will. She had to explain that she didn't sleep with him last night because she was drunk. That she didn't regret it at all. Her phone wasn't on the bed or on the nightstand. Just as she was about to get up and go look for it, the bathroom door opened and Will came out. He was wearing his boxers and white t-shirt. "I see you still keep a towel and spare toothbrush in the bottom drawer," he said.

Alicia smiled. "I thought you left," she said softly. "I am glad you didn't," she went on.

"What now?" he asked. He made no attempt to move towards the bed.

"Now…now we make a plan."

"A plan?" Will asked confused.

"Yes. Unless you don't want to?"

Will stared at Alicia. To the untrained eye, it might've looked like she had had no reaction as she asked her question. But Will knew better. He knew her better. He could detect the slight hesitation in her voice. He noticed the subtle clench of her teeth and he saw her squeeze the sheets in her small fists.

"And what might this plan entail?"

Alicia's jaw relaxed a little and the trace of a smile graced her features. "Well, I will have to file for divorce first thing on Monday. I will tell Peter as soon as he gets back from New York. If you don't might I would like to wait before telling the kids. Just a week or two. So it's not all at once. **B**ut for the immediate future, I was thinking you can come back to bed and let me tell you what you stopped me from telling you last night," she finished.

Will was speechless. He walked over to her. As he reached the edge of the bed however, he stopped. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Alicia got on her knees on the mattress, reaching for him. "William Paul Gardner, I love you. And I have never been more sure about anything in my life," she said.


End file.
